Adjustable length louver and panel shutters, including specifically shutters of modular rigid molded plastic construction, have heretofore been proposed in the art. The Foltman U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,966 discloses such a shutter as comprising a pair of extruded side rails having respective single-channel tracks disposed in opposition. Louvered panels are injection molded with integral side runners which are slidably received in the opposing tracks. Upper and lower cross pieces are fastened to the side rails by fasteners to hold the panels in place. The modular pieces are precoated to filter ultraviolet radiation and thereby prevent fading and deterioration.
The Frederick U.S. Pat. No. 3,455,079 shows an adjustable length shutter comprising a one-piece louver panel with integral side rails and separate end cross pieces or rails. See also the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,191,242, to Rauen, 3,797,186 to Smith and 3,968,738 to Matzke.
One problem with many adjustable length shutter assemblies of the prior art is a requirement for complex cutting or trimming operations for tailoring overall length at the installation site. The side rails in Foltman, for example, are cut to length in a stepped, rather than a planar, configuration. In Federick, the integral panel and side rails must be trimmed to length and then slotted to receive the end rails. Another problem is that although the panels and rails are initially coated at the factory to screen ultraviolet solar radiation, edges which are cut in the field may be exposed to radiation, resulting in unsightly fading and possible structural deterioration.